She added that the two Turkish ministers had both played "leading roles" in the arrest of the US pastor.

"As a result, any property or interest in property of both ministers within US jurisdiction is blocked and US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them," she said.

Ms Sanders also said that President Trump had discussed the matter with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, "multiple times".

The US treasury department later said in a statement that Turkey's Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul and Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu were targeted because they "serve as leaders of Turkish government organisations responsible for implementing Turkey's serious human rights abuses".

Last week, President Trump warned Turkey it would face "large sanctions" if it did not release Mr Brunson immediately.

The BBC's Mark Lowen said it was unprecedented for the US to hit a Nato ally with sanctions such as this.

Following Wednesday's announcement, the Turkish lira lost 1.6% of its value to fall to 5.0 against the US dollar.

Who is Andrew Brunson? Mr Brunson is a long-term resident in Turkey. He lived with his wife and three children while working as the pastor of the small Izmir Resurrection Church, which had a congregation of about two dozen.

The authorities accuse him of having links with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Gulenist movement, which Turkey blames for a 2016 failed coup.

Mr Brunson has denied charges of espionage, but faces up to 35 years in jail if found guilty.

He was moved into house arrest last month for health reasons, but US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said this was not enough.

"We have seen no credible evidence against Mr Brunson," Mr Pompeo tweeted at the time.

Turkey's foreign ministry said it had shared "necessary information" with the US, but insisted the case should be left with its judiciary.

What is Turkey's motivation? Mr Brunson is one of 20 Americans who were charged after the coup two years ago, according to the New York Times.

More than 50,000 people were arrested in Turkey in President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's huge post-coup crackdown.

He blames Pennsylvania-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen for the attempt, but Mr Gulen denies any involvement.

Turkey wants the US to agree to his extradition. President Erdogan has indicated he would swap the pastor for "the priest" (Mr Gulen).

US support for Kurdish forces fighting the Syrian civil war has also angered President Erdogan, who views them as an extension of the PKK.

The PKK - a Turkish-Kurdish rebel group fighting for autonomy since the 1980s - is considered a terrorist group by Turkey and the US.